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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

2014 NASA Day of Remembrance

NASA's annual Day of Remembrance, honoring its fallen astronauts and space workers, will be held this year on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014.

Administrator Charles Bolden and other NASA leaders will gather at Arlington National Cemetery at 10 a.m. EST on Friday to pay their respects at the gravesites of the Apollo 1 astronauts (Section 3) and at the memorials for the STS-51L Challenger and STS-107 Columbia crews (Section 46).

The City of Titusville Flag and Memorial Committee will present their annual Astronaut Memorial on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Sand Point Park. Sen. Thad Altman, president of the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, will be the keynote speaker.

Robert Pearlman

NASA Kennedy Space Center release

Kennedy Space Center Observes NASA Day of Remembrance Jan. 31

NASA Kennedy Space Center will pay tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other NASA colleagues, during the agency's Day of Remembrance on Friday, Jan. 31.

At 10:30 a.m. EST, Kennedy director Bob Cabana and deputy director Janet Petro will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial located in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Cabana will make brief remarks at the observance.

NASA's Day of Remembrance honors members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will provide flowers for visitors throughout the day to place at the memorial.

The Astronauts Memorial Foundation is a private, not-for-profit organization that built and maintains the Space Mirror Memorial. The mirror was dedicated in 1991 to honor all astronauts who lost their lives on missions or during training. It has been designated a National Memorial by Congress.

Robert Pearlman

NASA release

NASA Observes Day of Remembrance Jan. 31

NASA will pay will tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other NASA colleagues, during the agency's Day of Remembrance on Friday, Jan. 31.

NASA's Day of Remembrance honors members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and other agency senior officials will hold an observance and wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery Friday morning.

Other tributes across the agency include a wreath-laying ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial located in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida and NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California will hold a remembrance ceremony at its visitor center, the Exploration Center.

On Thursday, Jan. 30, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will hold a tree planting ceremony in honor of former astronaut C. Gordon "Gordo" Fullerton. All employees are encouraged to observe a moment of silence to remember their fallen friends and colleagues. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will hold a wreath-laying ceremony for employees followed by a public ceremony at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

To honor the astronauts and brave members of the NASA family who gave their lives in the pursuit of space exploration and service to our nation, NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., will hold a Day of Remembrance ceremony in the center's visitor center, the Exploration Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014.

Ames employees and visitors are invited to hear remarks from Ames Associate Center Director Deb Feng, see a Day of Remembrance video and observe a moment of silence. Across the country, flags at NASA Headquarters in Washington and the NASA field centers will be flown at half-mast in memory of colleagues lost in the cause of exploration.

Schedule of events for Jan. 31 (all times PST)

9 a.m.: Exploration Center doors open

9:15 a.m.: Opening remarks by Ames Associate Center Director Deb Feng

9:25 a.m.: Moment of silence

9:30 a.m.: Day of Remembrance video

9:40 a.m.: Closing remarks

Ames' Exploration Center is the large white dome located at the main gate of NASA's Ames Research Center. To reach NASA Ames, take U.S. Highway 101 to the Moffett Field, NASA Parkway exit and drive east on Moffett Boulevard toward the main gate and bear right into the parking lot.

More than a decade has passed since the loss of the crew of space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003, just minutes before landing. More than 40 years ago, on Jan. 27, 1967, the crew of Apollo 1 perished in a terrible fire. And nearly 30 years ago, on Jan. 28, 1986, the crew of space shuttle Challenger died less than two minutes after launch.

Sy Liebergot

This is a short speech I delivered during Astronaut Remembrance Week at the Museum of Flight on January 27, 2004.

It's an honor to speak to you today as a guest of your city's incredible Museum of Flight.

This week has been dedicated to be a time of remembrance of our fallen astronauts. There have been seventeen brave souls who paid the ultimate price to advance humankind's venture into space.

Let me quote some words from a speech President G.W. Bush gave regarding the loss of the Columbia astronauts. I believe they apply equally to all of our astronaut losses. He said, in part:

"The loss was sudden and terrible, and for their families, the grief is heavy. Our nation shares in your sorrow and in your pride. And today we remember not only one moment of tragedy, but seven lives of great purpose and achievement. To leave behind Earth and air and gravity is an ancient dream of humanity. For these seven, it was a dream fulfilled. Each of these astronauts had the daring and discipline required of their calling. Each of them knew that great endeavors are inseparable from great risks. And each of them accepted those risks willingly, even joyfully, in the cause of discovery."

We remember the Apollo 1 space crew, Flight Commander Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, who were killed in a flash fire in the Command Module on January 27, 1967, during their participation in a rehearsal for the launch of the first manned Apollo mission.

We remember the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51L); Commander Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Judy Resnick, Ellison Onizuka, Ron McNair, Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe. They died tragically in the explosion of their spacecraft during launch on January 28, 1986. The explosion occurred 73 seconds into the flight as a result of a leak in one of the two solid rocket boosters that ignited the external main liquid fuel tank.

We remember the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107): Commander Rick Husband, David Brown, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, Willie McCool and Ilan Ramon. They were lost when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry on February 1, 2003, due to a breech in the left wing caused by the 545 mph impact of a 1.7 pound piece of the external tank insulation foam that broke off during launch.

Sad as these losses have been, they have not been without purpose as they have taught harsh lessons of the risk of exploring a new frontier and allowed us to learn lessons that will make space travel safer as we now make plans to return humans to the Moon—from there venture landing people on Mars.

"As we honor three American heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this great Nation, we remember them for not how they died, but the ideals for which they lived," said Col. Robert Pavelko, 45th Space Wing vice commander. "We strive to emulate their leadership, integrity and dedication."

More than 100 family and friends of the spaceflight heroes were also in attendance.

Betty, Grissom's wife, was recognized for the sacrifices she made during Gus Grissom's career. She has attended the ceremony every year since the tragedy. Additionally, three candles were lit to pay homage to the astronauts.

Scott Grissom, Gus' son, said the ceremony is important because future generations will remember this day in history.

At exactly 6:31 p.m. audience members fell silent for the conclusion of the memorial, the exact moment the flash fire occurred, killing all three astronauts.

Ending the ceremony included taps, a musical piece, from a bugler of the Naval Ordnance Test Unit and remarks from the 45th Space Wing vice commander.

"Each launch provides a constant reminder of the efforts of those heroes and their families who came before us," Pavelko said. "Roger Chaffee, Gus Grissom and Ed White dedicated their lives to this nation and furthering space exploration. Their legacy lives on."

Robert Pearlman

The White House release

President Barack Obama on NASA's Day of Remembrance

On this Day of Remembrance, we join the American people in honoring the men and women of NASA who have given their lives in our nation’s space program. Our exploration of space has expanded our knowledge of the universe, improved our lives here on Earth and been a source of inspiration and pride for generations of Americans. Today, we remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in these endeavors.

We hope that the families, friends and colleagues of those we’ve lost will find some comfort in knowing that their loved ones will always be heroes to a grateful nation – that their passion and courage continue to inspire us to push the boundaries of our imagination and meet grand challenges with joy, here on Earth and among the heavens. Guided by their brave example, the United States will remain a nation of explorers, now and forever.

Robert Pearlman

NASA release

Message from the Administrator: Day of Remembrance

Today we pause in our normal routines and reflect on the contributions of those who lost their lives trying to take our nation farther into space. On our annual Day of Remembrance, please join me in giving thanks for the legacy of the STS-107 Columbia crew; the STS-51L Challenger crew; the Apollo 1 crew; and Mike Adams, the first in-flight fatality of the space program as he piloted the X-15 No. 3 on a research flight.

These men and women were our friends, family and colleagues, and we will never forget their lives and passion to push us farther and achieve more. They have our everlasting love, respect and gratitude.

Today, their legacy lives on as the International Space Station fulfills its promise to help us learn to live and work in space and move farther into the solar system. We see our lost friends in the strivings of so many missions to take humans to new destinations and to unlock the secrets of our universe. And we honor them by making our dreams of a better tomorrow reality and by acting to improve life for all of humanity.

Let us join together as one NASA Family, along with the entire world, in paying our respects, and honoring the memories of our dear friends. They are with us still on this grand journey.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden participates in a wreath laying ceremony as part of NASA's Day of Remembrance, Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, at Arlington National Cemetery. The wreathes were laid in memory of those men and women who lost their lives in the quest for space exploration. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls